Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece

This study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) complet...

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Main Authors: Ioanna Kontele, Tonia Vassilakou, Olyvia Donti
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2022-02-01
Series:Children
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/254
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author Ioanna Kontele
Tonia Vassilakou
Olyvia Donti
author_facet Ioanna Kontele
Tonia Vassilakou
Olyvia Donti
author_sort Ioanna Kontele
collection DOAJ
description This study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), the Social Desirability Scale (SDS) and provided information on their training. It was found that 16.3% of competitive gymnasts and 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts scored ≥20 in EAT-26, indicating disordered eating behavior. Competitive gymnasts scored higher than non-competitive in the total score of EAT-26 (<i>p</i> = 0.027), as well as in the total score of WPS-F, the sport and coaches weight pressures sub-scale and the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that sport and coaches weight pressures, appearance and performance weight pressures and body mass index accounted for 30.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in competitive gymnasts, while the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale accounted for 16.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in non-competitive gymnasts. Sport and coaches weight pressures are associated with ED in competitive gymnasts, while body appearance and performance demands correlate with ED in female gymnasts irrespective of competitive level.
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spelling doaj.art-69a83d0c8f8e4e63838b6d24e655a6b72023-11-23T19:20:02ZengMDPI AGChildren2227-90672022-02-019225410.3390/children9020254Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in GreeceIoanna Kontele0Tonia Vassilakou1Olyvia Donti2Department of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, GreeceDepartment of Public Health Policy, School of Public Health, University of West Attica, 196 Alexandras Avenue, 11521 Athens, GreeceSchool of Physical Education and Sport Science, National Kapodistrian University of Athens, 17237 Athens, GreeceThis study examined the weight pressures within the gymnastics environment and explored associations between these pressures and eating disorder (ED) symptoms in adolescent female gymnasts. One hundred and forty-seven competitive gymnasts and 122 recreational-level gymnasts (11–17 years old) completed the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26), the Weight-Pressures in Sport-Females (WPS-F), the Social Desirability Scale (SDS) and provided information on their training. It was found that 16.3% of competitive gymnasts and 7.4% of non-competitive gymnasts scored ≥20 in EAT-26, indicating disordered eating behavior. Competitive gymnasts scored higher than non-competitive in the total score of EAT-26 (<i>p</i> = 0.027), as well as in the total score of WPS-F, the sport and coaches weight pressures sub-scale and the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale (<i>p</i> < 0.001). Multiple regression analyses indicated that sport and coaches weight pressures, appearance and performance weight pressures and body mass index accounted for 30.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in competitive gymnasts, while the appearance and performance weight pressures sub-scale accounted for 16.3% of the variance of EAT-26 in non-competitive gymnasts. Sport and coaches weight pressures are associated with ED in competitive gymnasts, while body appearance and performance demands correlate with ED in female gymnasts irrespective of competitive level.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/254adolescencegymnasticsdietdisordered eatingappearanceperformance
spellingShingle Ioanna Kontele
Tonia Vassilakou
Olyvia Donti
Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
Children
adolescence
gymnastics
diet
disordered eating
appearance
performance
title Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
title_full Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
title_fullStr Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
title_full_unstemmed Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
title_short Weight Pressures and Eating Disorder Symptoms among Adolescent Female Gymnasts of Different Performance Levels in Greece
title_sort weight pressures and eating disorder symptoms among adolescent female gymnasts of different performance levels in greece
topic adolescence
gymnastics
diet
disordered eating
appearance
performance
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9067/9/2/254
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AT olyviadonti weightpressuresandeatingdisordersymptomsamongadolescentfemalegymnastsofdifferentperformancelevelsingreece